Williams unveils the final version of its FW31

Williams has just unveiled its new FW31, only a few weeks after its official launch. The new single-seater also sports its official colors for the upcoming season.

The car had been very dark until now and during the winter tests, a sort of midnight blue, but from today and for the 2009 season, the FW31 will be much lighter, showcasing a mix of royal blue and white. The British team took the opportunity to welcome the media to its factory for a photo session this Thursday.

Williams has taken over a large part of his 2008 year to focus more on the design of the 2009 version of the car. Team director Frank Williams hopes that the efforts will pay off.

Even though he admits that winning a race would be his dream, Williams believes he can compete with the top three. It would, in any case, be a sufficient reason to feel happy with his performances.

« We would be delighted to be a winning team or to be among the top three all the time, » he said.

But being very close to the top three would coincide with a big step for this year. It’s not impossible, but it depends on our pre-season testing. We might get lucky with the car.

Moreover, this new FW31 features the latest aerodynamic elements around the cockpit, shaped like sails. They have been designed to channel air over the car and onto the rear wing.

The team is considering taking advantage of the new regulations this year to regain the level of competitiveness from the Juan Pablo Montoya era, whose last victory dates back to the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix.

See the photos of the final version of the FW31 by clicking here